Wireless connectivity is now ubiquitous. People are wirelessly connected through their mobile phones, smart phones, tablets and numerous other devices and mechanisms. Yet, there are millions of “assets” that are not similarly connected. An “asset” can include any item or object of value. Motor vehicles, freight cars, trailers, containers, personal belongings, buildings, windmills, livestock, fuel tanks and certain persons are just some examples of assets, as is almost anything else that has sufficient value to justify keeping track of where it has been and/or what has happened to it. It would be highly desirable to provide an electronic presence for each of those fixed and mobile assets for purposes of tracking, chain of custody and other reasons.
Telematics has been used for some time to track the geospatial location of assets such as motor vehicles. One example fleet telematics solution offered by Networkfleet Inc. provides GPS fleet tracking, vehicle diagnostics, fleet maps, reporting, asset tracking, integration with external GPS devices, vehicle alerts and free roadside assistance. Compatible with light, medium, and heavy duty vehicles, the Networkfleet product line features two hardware devices. One device is GPS only, while another device connects directly to the vehicle's diagnostic port to continually monitor engine diagnostics. Both devices include a fast processor, built in accelerometer, and multi-port options. Both the GPS and cellular antennas are contained internally in the device, which can be expanded to offer a total of 6 sensors to monitor voltage events like PTO, secondary engine, door, and other in-vehicle devices. The serial port allows for integration with compatible external GPS type devices and also integrates with laptops and other devices. Remote vehicle diagnostics capabilities enable monitoring of diagnostic trouble codes, ignition status, speed, odometer, fuel efficiency and more. An additional “assert tracker” unit uses GPS technology to report location and movement for field assets like trailers, generators, heavy duty equipment or any valuable property. The battery life of this unit lasts up to three years, depending on the message configuration which can be customized. The unit features hardened, sealed enclosures to maintain maximum functionality in extreme weather conditions. Fleet managers using Networkfleet's online application can view assets equipped with the asset tracker unit on maps alongside vehicles in their fleet. Reports and alerts can be used to determine exact GPS location, if and when an asset has been moved, assets closest to a particular location or landmark, geofence violations and other information. See for example US20130116882 and www.networkfleet.com.
While such systems have been widely adopted and highly successful, further improvements are possible.